:-( i im so touched :-(

[maria_and_matt]

about 4 months ago i started doing charity work with my dog. i had her tested to see if she can be a PATS dog and she passed her test, and so we started visiting hospitals and hospices. in our local hospice we met a lady and became 'close'.
i learnt that she died last wednesday :(... i had a phone call from her husband yesterday wanting to meet up with me and ruby. when he left he gave me a card, it was a card from his late wife with a cheque of £1000. she wrote, ' i could not thank you and ruby enough for making my stay at the hospice bearable. i always looked forward to see you and ruby, please accept this gift as my way of saying thanks for your regular visits, your kindness means so much to us, please do not stop doing what you have started, with much love, joanne'
i am just so lost for words

[joebloggs]

"Don't be sad because it's over, be happy because it happened."

[nigel]

Awww don't be sad, that is very touching, I believe we are "Energy Fields" I do, we are not flesh and bone, (in a sense we are but..) I believe we are Energy, in fact everything in the entire universe is made up of energy.

Quantum Phsyics states that we are "Energy Fields" (that would mean you, me, and absolutely everyone!) It's a fact that energy can never be created or destroyed! We are infinate!

These "Energy Fields" (me, you, everyone) are an ESSENTIAL PART of the universe! If these "Energy Fields" no longer exist the entire universe will no longer exist! You are no less important than the sun! In fact nobody is! There is no such thing as a person who is insignificant or unimportant!

A lot of people think that they are their body, well they're not..they are an infinate Energy Field that has "come into body" A lot of people believe that we are born, and then we die, but I believe that we come into human form and then go out of human form, but we can never be 'gone' so to speak, cause that would mean the entire universe would go too!

I have no idea what we experience when we die, but I am confident that we are not gone, it's not scientifically possible to be gone!

I hope you've enjoyed what I've posted here, or maybe you are totally confused?

People find it hard to believe in the invisible, but I don't! Sound waves are invisible, but they sure exist, there is a force called gravity that is pushing us down and keeping us on the ground, this is also invisible. In fact there is much that is invisible, your thoughts, your feelings, they are not visible, but they are there!

Energy can not be created or destroyed, it also doesn't have to be visible in order to exist! And what are we? We are ENERGY!

[South-east boy]

What a lovely and at the same time sad story. Although it was sad that she died especially after you got to know her, by what she said, it shows how much what you do means to people like her and long may you continue. If this is the first time that someone who you got to know has died, then it's probably hit you a bit more and made you feel more sad. Sadly it won't be the last time, but you just have to think how you made her last months more happy and that she had something to look forward to.

It's totally up to you what you do with the money of course, but maybe some treats for Ruby or pet insurance for her (do you have it?) as I know it's expensive, or do PATS take donations (am not sure how it's run etc)? Of course there is also the PDSA for people that have pets, but have low income or none and can't always afford expensive vets bills, so the PDSA helps.

You and Ruby keep up the good work!

[maria_and_matt]

we have decided to give 500 to the guide dogs and the other 500 to the hospice that she was in... i asked her hubby if that was ok with him, and he told me that i was given the money to do as i please, so he has no objections..

i am just trying to get over her death, i am sure this wont be the last for us.. i feel better though knowing Ruby gives so much joy to the sick and dying :-(

[Arthur Little]

about 4 months ago i started doing charity work with my dog. i had her tested to see if she can be a PATS dog and she passed her test, and so we started visiting hospitals and hospices. in our local hospice we met a lady and became 'close'.
i learnt that she died last wednesday :(... i had a phone call from her husband yesterday wanting to meet up with me and ruby. when he left he gave me a card, it was a card from his late wife with a cheque of £1000. she wrote, ' i could not thank you and ruby enough for making my stay at the hospice bearable. i always looked forward to see you and ruby, please accept this gift as my way of saying thanks for your regular visits, your kindness means so much to us, please do not stop doing what you have started, with much love, joanne'
i am just so lost for words

Sad, yes ... but what a wonderfully kind, and touching gesture on the part of a terminally-ill lady and her husband, in return for the obvious pleasure that you and your dog, Ruby gave [both of them]; I'm sure your visits made all the difference to their lives during her final days.

we have decided to give 500 to the guide dogs and the other 500 to the hospice that she was in... i asked her hubby if that was ok with him, and he told me that i was given the money to do as i please, so he has no objections..

i am just trying to get over her death, i am sure this wont be the last for us.. i feel better though knowing Ruby gives so much joy to the sick and dying :-(

More power to your elbow, Maria ... for the tremendous charitable works undertaken by you and Ruby ... you truly ARE "angels of mercy"!! God Bless your unstinting efforts.

[nigel]

we have decided to give 500 to the guide dogs and the other 500 to the hospice that she was in... i asked her hubby if that was ok with him, and he told me that i was given the money to do as i please, so he has no objections..

i am just trying to get over her death, i am sure this wont be the last for us.. i feel better though knowing Ruby gives so much joy to the sick and dying :-(

Hey! Hey! Hey! That money was intended for you to enjoy surely? Why not give it to your family maybe?

[maria_and_matt]

Hey! Hey! Hey! That money was intended for you to enjoy surely? Why not give it to your family maybe?

i thought of giving it to my mum , but they are doing ok at the moment, they have just sold a house we had in manila so they won't be needing ££££'s for a long time.

my son said i could buy him a MAC, i said i could but i wont

[maria_and_matt]

Sad, yes ... but what a wonderfully kind, and touching gesture on the part of a terminally-ill lady and her husband, in return for the obvious pleasure that you and your dog, Ruby gave [both of them]; I'm sure your visits made all the difference to their lives during her final days.



More power to your elbow, Maria ... for the tremendous charitable works undertaken by you and Ruby ... you truly ARE "angels of mercy"!! God Bless your unstinting efforts.

thank you arthur i have been blessed with a dog that loves people! she enjoys our visits to the kids ward in the hospital. i never knew how our visits makes them happy till joanne.

[Sim11UK]

A really nice story & really good of you, to give the money to a good cause.

My Aunty used to have a pat dog, that was always well received.
Most of us respond well to pets, they have a calming influence on us.
I'm sure you & Ruby, can help to bring enjoyment & happiness to many more.

[Arthur Little]

My first wife died from Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma ... which, as its name implies is a cancer of the lymphatic system ... brought about, her consultant oncologist believed, by nearly a quarter of a century of steroid [and other] painkilling drugs treatment for severe inflamatory Rheumatoid Arthritis.

At her funeral, one of her closest friends ... and chief bridesmaid at our wedding 24 years earlier ... handed me a cheque (in lieu of flowers) to be donated to whichever charity I saw fit.

Now, whilst many folk might have expected me to select Cancer Research, I decided the beneficiary should be the Arthritis Council. My reason for choosing the latter, was due to the fact that, because one in every three of the British population are believed to be at risk of being diagnosed with (albeit, do not necessarily DIE from) the 'BIG-C' at some time in their lives, the charity is almost indelibly at the forefront of people's minds, and is invariably well-supported ... whereas, arthritis research receives a lot less publicity - on account of its being generally considered as one of the non-fatal diseases - and hence funding tends to be minimal by comparison. Yet, arthritis ... in all its insidious forms ... is an extremely painful and debilitating chronic illness that - more likely than not - leaves sufferers' joints badly misshapen and deformed and, in consequence, with varying degrees of disability.

So, folks ... next time you see someone "rattling a can" for ARC (or whatever it's called nowadays) ... and it isn't all that often, unfortunately ... please be generous with your loose change!

[maria_and_matt]

My first wife died from Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma ... which, as its name implies is a cancer of the lymphatic system ... brought about, her consultant oncologist believed, by nearly a quarter of a century of steroid [and other] painkilling drugs treatment for severe inflamatory Rheumatoid Arthritis.

At her funeral, one of her closest friends ... and chief bridesmaid at our wedding 24 years earlier ... handed me a cheque (in lieu of flowers) to be donated to whichever charity I saw fit.

Now, whilst many folk might have expected me to select Cancer Research, I decided the beneficiary should be the Arthritis Council. My reason for choosing the latter, was due to the fact that, because one in every three of the British population are believed to be at risk of being diagnosed with (albeit, do not necessaily DIE from) the 'BIG-C' at some time in their lives, the charity is almost indelibly at the forefront of people's minds, and is invariably well-supported ... whereas, arthritis research receives a lot less publicity - on account of its being generally considered as one of the non-fatal diseases - and hence funding tends to be minimal by comparison. Yet, arthritis ... in all its insidious forms ... is an extremely painful and debilitating chronic illness that - more likely than not - leaves sufferers' joints badly misshapen and deformed and, in consequence, with varying degrees of disability.

So, folks ... next time you see someone "rattling a can" for ARC (or whatever it's called nowadays) ... and it isn't all that often, unfortunately ... please be generous with your loose change!

i will keep my eyes open

[nigel]

my son said i could buy him a MAC, i said i could but i wont

When you said MAC I thought you meant a coat at first, but it's a computer isn't it? Ako ay bobo!

Hey you could get yourself one of them nice new HD tv's?

[Arthur Little]

When you said MAC I thought you meant a coat at first, but it's a computer isn't it? Ako ay bobo!

Naw, ... she was referring to a 'Big Mac' from Mcdonald's!

[pennybarry]

That's really wonderful Maria.
Bless you and your dog!
The most reawardable one is the help you did.
Helping is such really a wonderful feeling to those who need.

[KeithD]

I'm thing of starting up the charity: "Blind Dogs for the Guide"

[Doc Alan]

Just a quick (serious) response to this touching story.
Hospices NEED charity such as yours. They receive less than a third of their funding from the NHS. They're concerned with palliative care (reducing the pain and other bad effects of incurable diseases, not just cancer).
Cancer patients obviously form a large proportion of those treated by hospices. Arthur is correct, about 1 in 3 people in the UK will get cancer. However, there are maybe 200 different types ; over half comprising breast, lung, large bowel and prostate ; 2 in 3 affect people over 65 ; cancer rates are increasing but the outlook is steadily improving ; so although a quarter of deaths are due to cancer about half survive or are cured depending on the type. Just to put it into perspective, only an eighth of deaths in Asia / Philippines are from cancer (for various reasons)
Finally, for the time being, our government has deferred a rule which would have put all donations to NHS hospitals into the general NHS budget - many millions of pounds are donated to NHS charities every year and it would be totally unfair to use that money to cut health budgets

[joebloggs]

we have decided to give 500 to the guide dogs and the other 500 to the hospice that she was in... i asked her hubby if that was ok with him, and he told me that i was given the money to do as i please, so he has no objections..

i am just trying to get over her death, i am sure this wont be the last for us.. i feel better though knowing Ruby gives so much joy to the sick and dying :-(

mans best friend, if i was you Maria, i would buy your dog some steaks and a ring or piece if jewellery to remind you of the lady and with the rest, do as you said

i've just watched a film 'Hachiko A dog's tale' starring Richard gere, its based on a true story, A college professor (Richard Gere) takes in an abandoned dog and they form an unbreakable bond. The dog arrives daily at the correct time at the station, to meet his boss. After the professor dies while away from home, the dog keeps vigil waiting for his master for nearly a decade. a level of loyalty you don't find in most humans, after the dogs death a statue of hachiko was built outside the station.

this film nearly brought a tear to my dog hating misses eye i knew she has a heart somewhere




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaS37...layer_embedded

[KeithD]

Doggy Honours http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...animal-VC.html

[joebloggs]

Doggy Honours http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...animal-VC.html

and not forgetting the police dogs and dogs used in search and rescue

but


Treo will be the 63rd animal to receive the medal, following in the footsteps of 26 other dogs, 32 Second World War messenger pigeons, three horses and one cat.

what did the cat do

[maria_and_matt]

When you said MAC I thought you meant a coat at first, but it's a computer isn't it? Ako ay bobo!

Hey you could get yourself one of them nice new HD tv's?

we got one already my husband works for bt and for his 30th year they gave him a bonus and we bought a tv and things